In many circumstances such as unforeseen car maintenance, outdoors tasks performed in the evening, and the like, persons are required to complete a complicated task with their hands while working in near dark conditions. A common practice is to utilize a flashlight in order to provide additional, temporary illumination. However, this typically means trying to balance the flashlight under one's chin or on a nearby object in order to allow the use of both hands to perform the task. Another common practice is for a second person to help hold the flashlight. This obviously does not help situations in which a single person wishes to complete a task in poor lighting. Furthermore, this method expends the time and effort of a second person, and oftentimes the beam wanders about as the holder looses attention.
Other times the use of a flashlight is needed to serve as a warning of presence such as when walking or riding a bike along a roadway, or for the purposes of directing traffic. Once again, the process of a single user holding a flashlight is cumbersome or impossible. Overall, the need to hold a flashlight limits a user's ability to have hands free to perform other tasks and may even compromise their safety.
Various attempts have been made to provide an illuminating means for use by a single user. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 1,769,241, issued in the name of Stephani, describes a device which allows for the attachment of a flashlight along a user's forearm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,619, issued in the name of Yu, describes a wrist mounted light which provides a means for attachment of a rotating light source to a user's arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,930, issued in the name of Portouche, describes a wrist mounted illumination apparatus providing a means for illumination in front of a user in a hands free manner.
Additionally, ornamental designs for a wrist mounted light source exist, particularly U.S. Pat. Nos. D 324,579 and D 344,411. However, none of these designs are similar to the present invention.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices do not provide a full range of adjustability to a user. Also, many such devices are not controllable by a user in accordance with varying situations and desired functions. Furthermore, many such devices are not provided with a means for selectively adjusting functionality based upon desired operating conditions and situations. Accordingly, there exists a need for a wrist mounted illumination device without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.